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Rita Moreno : a memoir

"In this luminous memoir, Rita Moreno shares her remarkable journey from impoverished Puerto Rican girl to Hollywood legend--and one of the few performers, and the only Hispanic, to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys. Born Rosita Dolores Alverio in the idyll of Puerto Rico, Moreno, at age five, embarked on a harrowing sea voyage with her mother and wound up in the harsh barrios of the Bronx, where she discovered dancing, singing, and acting as ways to escape a tumultuous childhood. Making her Broadway debut by age thirteen--and moving on to Hollywood in its Golden Age just a few years later--she worked alongside such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, and Lana Turner. Rita, who was made over as the "Latina Liz Taylor" by MGM head Louis B. Mayer, became an instant sensation. From dancing with Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain to her Oscar-winning performance in West Side Story, she catapulted to fame--yet found herself repeatedly typecast as a Latina spitfire, a role she found almost impossible to elude. Here, for the first time, Rita reflects on her struggles to break through Hollywood's racial and sexual barriers. She explores the wounded little girl behind the glamorous façade--and what it took to find her place in the world. She talks candidly about her relationships with Elvis Presley and Howard Hughes, and the passionate romance with Marlon Brando that drove her to attempt suicide in his bed. And she reveals the secrets behind her "perfect" marriage and the incomparable joys of motherhood. Infused with Rita Moreno's astounding wit and deep insight, this memoir is the dazzling portrait of a stage and screen star who longed to become who she really is--and triumphed"--Read more...

Abstract:

"In this luminous memoir, Rita Moreno shares her remarkable journey from impoverished Puerto Rican girl to Hollywood legend--and one of the few performers, and the only Hispanic, to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys. Born Rosita Dolores Alverio in the idyll of Puerto Rico, Moreno, at age five, embarked on a harrowing sea voyage with her mother and wound up in the harsh barrios of the Bronx, where she discovered dancing, singing, and acting as ways to escape a tumultuous childhood. Making her Broadway debut by age thirteen--and moving on to Hollywood in its Golden Age just a few years later--she worked alongside such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, and Lana Turner. Rita, who was made over as the "Latina Liz Taylor" by MGM head Louis B. Mayer, became an instant sensation. From dancing with Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain to her Oscar-winning performance in West Side Story, she catapulted to fame--yet found herself repeatedly typecast as a Latina spitfire, a role she found almost impossible to elude. Here, for the first time, Rita reflects on her struggles to break through Hollywood's racial and sexual barriers. She explores the wounded little girl behind the glamorous façade--and what it took to find her place in the world. She talks candidly about her relationships with Elvis Presley and Howard Hughes, and the passionate romance with Marlon Brando that drove her to attempt suicide in his bed. And she reveals the secrets behind her "perfect" marriage and the incomparable joys of motherhood. Infused with Rita Moreno's astounding wit and deep insight, this memoir is the dazzling portrait of a stage and screen star who longed to become who she really is--and triumphed"--